chargerdave

Have been doing that for a while now. Still no difference

Connected a jumper cable from negative battery post to head, but still not enough fire to start or even to try and hit. Going back to my body work for a while and walk away from the starting issue for a few days, before it drives me crazy.

have already tried two different 12V coils that require external resisted coils on it with the same results. The one on it now is a universal Accel Super Coil. I do also have an internally resisted coil that I haven't tried yet but not sure how to wire it up, since it has two posts on each side. (Two on pos. side, two on neg. side.).

Attached another ground strap from the head to the cab, but still too weak of a spark at the plugs for it to try and fire.

Cap and rotor do match and the center post and spring are in the distributor. The cap and rotor are exactly like the ones that come with the distributor. I am now getting a very weak spark at the #1 plug when I ground it against the head and turn the engine over. There is a spark but it seems weak.

Well, took the coil wire loose at the distributor cap and arc it to the block. It sparked well to the block, but still no fire to the plugs. Then I took off the distributor cap, turned the engine over and had a good steady spark at the points as they opened. So, I still don't know why no fire to the plugs.

Already have a heavy ground strap from the block to the firewall.

Hold the distributor end of the coil wire up to the block? or the coil end of the wire up to the block?

Well, the sage continues. Replaced the distributor cap this evening, and still same result. Fire to the coil and a good spark at the points, but no fire at any of the plugs. Even tried trading out the rotor for a spare I had on hand but still no fire to plugs. About the only thing left to change is to assume that my coil wire is bad, even though its new, and replace it. Otherwise, i am out of answers. Anybody have any ideas? And, yes, in answer to the last poster, the distributor shaft and rotor are rotating just fine.

Think I'm going to be able to salvage my original distributor. Waiting on a new cap I've ordered, which I think is the problem. I now have a strong spark at the points, but nothing to the plugs. I found a messed up spring and contact in the inside tower of my distributor cap keeping it from making contact with my rotor. Going to have to replace the whole cap.

Well, replaced new condenser with another new condenser, and a new lead wire post and insulators on body of insulator, and also discovered a short on the wire to the points. I now have a strong spark at the points, but still no spark at the plugs. I have installed a new rotor, new wires, new coil wire and coil and a new distributor cap, but still no spark at the plugs. Beginning to consider a problem with the distributor cap.

By the "first one" do you mean the picture on the left, because it is the only one that looks like it would work. The one on the right has the "hot wire" to the points wrongly attached to the terminal with the wire installed between the insulator and the distributor. This keeps the insulator from doing its job, by keeping the hot wire at the terminal from grounding into the body of the distributor before fire reaches the points. The picture on the left has it attached properly with the insulator between the wire and the body of the distributor. The ground strap on the one on the right is also grounded to the condensor mount instead of from the mounting plate to the body of the distributor. The one on the left has it grounded correctly. from the points mounting screw to the body of the distributor.

Desperately need distributor for Dodge 230 6cyl.. Mine is toast. The one I have now is Autolite 1AT4011 and I have a seized 1AT 4140 that came with the truck . I am sure that there are others that will fit it. It is a 56 dodge Truck C3 and I have installed a 53 Dodge Coronet 230 6 in that I have converted over to 12V, negative ground. The truck was alread 12V, as all of the gauges are 12 V. This distributor is holding me up and none of the resto sites have one. Thanks for your help. Charger Dave

Checked the spark at the points with a screw driver, but got nothing. I tried two different coils, and got same result. No spark at the points.

If these will fit my 55-56 Dodge C3, I"ll take a couple of them also.

Well, opened up the distributor and moved the ground wire from the points mounting screw, to the condenser mounting screw. The other end is soldered to the breaker plate that attaches to the distributor body. Also moved my battery ground cable from the frame to the engine block to get a better ground. Tried to start the engine and it turns over real fast but doesn't try to start. Seem to have solved the short issue. No more overheating wires or burnt resistors. Now to find out why it won't start.

I also have a spare distributor from that same era, but can't use because the shaft is seized, and it has the same ground wire from the breaker plate(which mounted stationary to the inside of the body of the distributor to the hold down screw for the points. This is how both of these distributors were set up when I got them, and they came from two completely different sources. Once one on the junk rusted together engine the truck came with, and the other I bought off of EBAy.

Yes I swapped the wires so the power wire from the ignition switch goes to + terminal and the negative wire to the points side of the distributor. The only place I can think of a ground is the ground strap that grounds the points to the breaker plate/distributor housing, that I was told was needed.

Yes, I have a 12V coil that requires an external ballast resistor.

I am new to this forum. For the past 4 years I have been periodically working on a 56 Dodge C3 truck. I had the 230 six rebuilt, and now I am converting it to 12V Negative Ground. I know that a 56 was already 12V, but my engine was purchased separately and it was a 55 with a 6V starter. All of my gauges, lights, etc., are already 12 V. My problem is I am now to the point of trying to fire up this engine for the first time since the rebuild, and have had no luck. I kept my 6V starter to keep the stock appearance of the foot actuated lever starter. I took my On/Off Ignition switch and wired the post labeled coil to the + terminal on the coil, and ran the - wire from coil to the points side of the distributor. I wired a ballast resistor in between the ignition switch and the coil. When I first tried to start it, turned over just fine but no fire to plugs. I re-gapped my points, rechecked wiring and timing to make sure #1 was at TDC, but still no fire past the distributor. Now I have a new problem. The last two times I have turned the key on so I could then push the start button, the wire to the ballast resistor has gotten so hot that it smoked and burnt up two ballast resistors. I am frustrated and out of answers. Since this is a lever actuated starter, there is no solenoid, or relay to run a wire to bypass the resistor just during the start procedure. I know I sound like an idiot to most of you guys, but need some answers. Appreciate any help you can offer.